Scanner, Recommendations
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,728
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From: Keweenaw Bay, MI
Scanner, Recommendations
I am looking to buy a scanner that will cover most bands up to at least 1000MHz. I want it to cover police, fire and emergency bands. Any recommendations? I want something that does not require a degree in electronics to program. Thanks!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,385
Likes: 1
From: Mercer County, OH
Check with your local agencies and see if they are or will be switching over to MARCS (Multi Agency Radio Communications System). If they are, you'll need a separate $$$ scanner for that.
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,422
Likes: 5,507
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
i use the radio shack pro 97 series scanner.
with the win 97 program by don starr at Software for RadioShack PRO-series (PRO-92, 93, 95, 96, 97, 99, 163, 164, 106, 197) and GRE PSR-series (PSR-500, 600, 300, 400, 310, 410) scanners , and frequengy guides available from radio reference at RadioReference.com - Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference Database , it is very easy to setup.
with the win 97 program by don starr at Software for RadioShack PRO-series (PRO-92, 93, 95, 96, 97, 99, 163, 164, 106, 197) and GRE PSR-series (PSR-500, 600, 300, 400, 310, 410) scanners , and frequengy guides available from radio reference at RadioReference.com - Scanner Frequencies and Radio Frequency Reference Database , it is very easy to setup.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 26,966
Likes: 50
From: Texas
Bump back to the top. Any more input on this? I'm interested in getting a scanner too. I live out in the middle of nowhere so I'd like to be able to pick up the sheriffs office, police, fire, weather, skywarn, and probably the forest service for fire season. Aircraft and ham would be interesting too, maybe.
Here's what I've found so far.
Is APCO 25 something that is included in most scanners by default, or is this a special option I need to search for?
Will the digital scanners still pick up the old analog signals?
Anyone know of a scanner forum that would be a good place to pick up info?
Here's what I've found so far.
Important Notes about Texas:
The Texas Department of Public Safety is moving quickly to a statewide APCO-25 digital VHF high-band radio system. Texas Parks and Wildlife, Department of Transportation and the Texas Forest Service are using primarily VHF high-band with some VHF low-band (for DOT). Any police scanner radio will work for the majority of Texas state agencies with the exception of DPS. The best police and fire scanner for Texas is a digital police scanner as it will allow you to monitor Texas DPS as well as other state agencies.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is moving quickly to a statewide APCO-25 digital VHF high-band radio system. Texas Parks and Wildlife, Department of Transportation and the Texas Forest Service are using primarily VHF high-band with some VHF low-band (for DOT). Any police scanner radio will work for the majority of Texas state agencies with the exception of DPS. The best police and fire scanner for Texas is a digital police scanner as it will allow you to monitor Texas DPS as well as other state agencies.
Important Notes about Your County:
All public safety radio systems in this county are currently analog and not trunked or digital with the exception of one city not near me. Select a trunking scanner with LTR trunking capability for monitoring in that city. Also, the Texas DPS is switching to a digital radio system statewide. If you wish to monitor Texas DPS you should consider a digital model which can also handle LTR trunking.
All public safety radio systems in this county are currently analog and not trunked or digital with the exception of one city not near me. Select a trunking scanner with LTR trunking capability for monitoring in that city. Also, the Texas DPS is switching to a digital radio system statewide. If you wish to monitor Texas DPS you should consider a digital model which can also handle LTR trunking.
Anyone know of a scanner forum that would be a good place to pick up info?
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,672
Likes: 20
From: Nixa
Way back in the day I had a Bearcat scanner in my truck. One Saturday we were convoying up Interstate 80 to Fordyce Trail to go wheeling. The local sherriff of the town we were driving through called his cop buddies that he was coming up on a convoy of wheelers and was going to need back up.
I heard it all come over the scanner, and there wasn't a darn thing we could do about it. As we were all sitting on the side of the interstate, I heard all our licences, etc. being called in. I even knew what tickets we were all getting, before we got them.
I passed all the info to the others over the CB as I heard it. So most of the others just messed with the cops when they were handed their tickets.
I heard it all come over the scanner, and there wasn't a darn thing we could do about it. As we were all sitting on the side of the interstate, I heard all our licences, etc. being called in. I even knew what tickets we were all getting, before we got them.
I passed all the info to the others over the CB as I heard it. So most of the others just messed with the cops when they were handed their tickets.
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